Improved mode of treating vegetable substances for the manufacture of paper-pulp



-i mprovement, I now proceed NiTa STATES PATENT trice.

IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OFPAPER-PULP, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 114,209. datedSeptember 13, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRISON B. MEECH, ofthe town of Fort Edwart, in thecounty of Washington and State of New York, have invented a new andimproved process for treating straw and other vegetable fibroussubstances for the purpose of converting them into a state suitable formaking pulp for the manufacture of paper, and for other purposes forwhich pulp may be used and I hereby declare the following to be a fulland exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my said invention is to prepare vegetable fibroussubstances, and particularly straw, for the manufact-ure of paper-pulp,in a `manner most economical as to time employed,

expense in material used, and saving of material treated, as well asproducing a superior quality of pulp, so that in all the aforesaidrespects there may be the greatest economy secure-d and the best resultsobtained.

The nature of my invention consists in combining a suitable boilingliquor with a stationary boiler and high temperatures, for the reasonsand purposes hereinafter set forth, and the advantages of suchcombination are also hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art and trade to construct and use mysaid invention and to discribe particularly the construction, operation,and use of the same.

In the iirst place, the straw or other vegetable fibrous material to betreated may be particularly prepared for such treatment by any processwhichshall cut, break, or tear it into small fragmentary parts, for thepurpose of exposing a large surface of the material to the immediateaction of the boiling liquor, or the straw may be used in its naturalstate without cutting, breaking, or tearing the same into fragments.Where the means are at hand or can readily be commanded, it is betterfirst to prepare the straw by the usual methods of cutting it into shortlengths, and also by crushing the same by means of heavy iron rollers,for the purpose of reducing the joints and knots of the straw; or thestraw may be passed through pickers similar to those used for reducingwoolen rags, &c.; secondly, the Stationary boiler, in which thc materialis to be treated by being boiled or cooled should be of great strength,to resist an internal pressure equal at least to one hundred and lit'typounds to the square inch. I would recommend that the vessel or boilerbe made in diameter from live to six feet, and in length from eight toten feet. The boiler may be set in a horizontal or a perpendicularposition. I would recommend, however, that it be sct in a perpendicularposition, and be set in an arch or chimney, suspended by means of acollar or strap passing around the same near its upper end-say withintwo feet thereof-for the purpose of so suspending the boiler as toexpose the largest amount of its surface to the action of the nakedfire.

The following is a representation and description of the constructionand position of the boiler I would recommend:

Figure l in the accompanying drawings rcpresents a sectional view of theboiler in its perpendicular position in the arch or chimney. O O Orepresent the boiler. A A represent the sides of the arch or chimney inwhich the boiler is set. i B B BB represent the collar or strap with itsprojecting ilange for the purpose of suspending the boiler, the flangeresting upon the masonry C C, and thereby suspending the boiler withinthe arch and over the lire, as seen at D D D D. E E represent the floornearly even with the upper partof the boiler, on which is to be placedthe material for charging the boiler. At F, in the upper end of theboiler, is an opening known to the art and trade of paper-making as theman-hole,- through which the boiler vis to be charged with the materialto be treated, and it should be large enough to permit a man to enterthe boiler for the purpose of packing the material in the boiler when itis being charged. At X is seen the man-head in its place for closing theboiler after it has been charged and ready for the boiling process to becommenced. In the upper end of the boiler and above the liquor, apipe,L, passes out into or along the chimney or masonry to a steam-gage at M,for the purpose of determining thc amount of internal pressure withinthe boiler. At the bottom of the boiler is a large pipe, G G, about sixinches in diameter, running from the bottom of the boiler through the reand connecting with a large tub or vat, II, of at least double thecapacity of the boiler. This pipe G G is for the purpose of dischargingthe contents of the boiler as soon as sufficiently boiled or cooked intosaid tub or vat H. .At I is seen a stop-cock or faucet in the pipe G G,for the purpose of opening or closiu g said pipe at pleasure. H is alarge tub or vat, which should be made to contain double the Acapacityof the said boiler, and should be of great strengh to resist the forceofthe discharge into thc same, which would be great if made while theinternal pressure in the boiler was at one hundred pounds to the squareinch or upward. P l? represent a large pipe leading out of the tub orvat for Athe purpose of conducting the steam therefrom out of thebuilding, and the tub or vat should otherwise be tightly covered toprevent the escape of steam or smoke inte the building. In the bottomofthe tub or vat II should be openings covered with net-work, as asieve.

or strainer, for the purpose of permitting the liquid material thereinto drain oi.

Fig. 2 in the accompanying drawings represents a surface rack or grate,the use of which is to keep the material being treated beneath thesurface of the liquor in the boiler. In its construction it has thediameter nearly of the interior of the boiler. The segments thereof, a'b c, are fastened to the center-piece C by hinges at a aa ci, so thatthe segments can be turned back upon the center-piece C for for thepurpose of permitting the rack or grate to enter the boiler through themanhole F. This rack or grate should be covcred with a net-work ofwire-gauze, to prevent the finer material from rising to the surface ofthe liquor in the boiler. This rack or grate is seen in its place whenthe boiler is charged, as at K K, in the upper part of the boiler. y

The advantages of the stationary over a rotating boiler in the treatmentof straw are many, but particularly there are three advantages: iirst,where the boiler is stationary and is suspended as above recommended, amuch larger surface of the boiler can be eX posed to the action of thenaked fire, and consequently can be more rapidly heated; second, whenthe material being treated is submerged in the boiling liquor, it isdesirable that there should be as little mechanical agitation aspossible, because by mechanical agitation parts of the material beingtreated become thereby detached from the mass in the shape of fine fiberduring the early part of the boiling process, and, being subject to thecontinued action of the alkali for a long time in that state, they areliable to be reduced to a pasty condition which in the washing processis washed away and lost; third, the machinery and attachments necessaryfor hanging and rotating the boiler are dispensed with, and much expenseis saved in the construction and operation of the same.

The boiling liquor used in my process is composed of water, soda-ash, orother alkaline substance,limeand oleaginous substances,

as oil or grease, or, instead of oil or grease, soft soap or othersubstance containing the oil or grease as a constiuent thereof. In theconstitution of the liquor I would recommend the use of the followingproportions: Take soda-ash, orits equivalent in other alkali, testing atabout ninety-tive per cent. in quantity equal to from sixteen to twentyper cent. in weight ofthe material to be treated. Take common unslakedlime, in quantity equal from one-third to two-fifths in weight of thesoda-ash or other alkali. Dissolve the sodaash and lime in a quantity ofwater, which, when ready for use as a vboiling liquor, shall be inquantity, equal to about seventy gallons ofthe liquor to the one hundredpounds of material treated, and testing at 30 to 3&0 Baume. Add to thisliquor when well settled, so as to be free from the visible presence oflime, either in ine particles or in a milky state, about one pound ofgrease or oil to the one hundred pounds of straw, &c., to be treated,or, instead of the grease or oil, add about one and one-third gallon ofsoft soap to the one hundred pounds as aforesaid. adding the grease,oil, or soap to the liquor, as above directed, you may put them into theboiler and onto the straw, 8vo., therein, before running in the boilingliquor.

The process of charging the boiler is as follows: Let a person enter theboilerv soon after commencing to put in the straw, for the purpose ofpacking it tightly therein, as it is put into the boiler through theman-hole. When the boiler is thus filled to within one foot of themau-hole, let the grease, oil, or soap be put onto the straw. Next, putin the surface rack or grate and spread it out upon the suriace of thestraw, after which run in the boiling liquor in the proportions abovedescribed, and close the man-hole by means of the manf head in themanner well known to the art and trade of the paper-maker. The next stepin the process is to apply the re by kindling the same underneath theboiler, raising the temperature within the boiler as quickly as possibleto that indicated by an internal pressure in the boiler of one hundredpounds 1to the square inch, after which proceed cautiously untila'temperature indicated by a pressure of one hundred and thirty poundsto the square inch is attained.- Continue boiling at a temperatureranging from one hundred and ten pounds to one hundred and thirty poundsto the square inch for about three hours or three and half hours, whenthe material will be sufficiently cooked or boiled and may be at oncedischarged by means of the stop-cock or faucet I in the pipe G G intothe tub or vat H, where, after draining, it is ready for the subsequenttreatment of the paper-maker, such as washing, scouring, bleaching, &c.

Having thus fully described my method of treating straw, 85e., I willfurther state what appears to be the advantage gained by using grease,oil, or soap in the composition of my Instead of v boiling liquor forthe treatment of straw, &c. The effect is seen in protecting the finerber of the material treated, which is first separated from the mass,from the too great action of the alkali converting it into a paste, asbefore stated, and thereby causing a loss of material in the subsequentwashing of the same. A second efect is seen in imparting to the producta whiter appearance and a softer feel, leaving it in a state much morereadily reducible to pulp, by the ordinary processes used by thepaper-maker, than when the grease, oil, or soap have not been used.

I do not claim the use of a stationary boiler, nor do I claim theparticular form of its construction, as above described, nor do I claimthe constitution and particular composition of the boiling liquor asabove set forth and described, nor do I claim the use of hightemperatures in the treatment ot' straw or other fibrous substances 5but What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as myinvention and improvement as a means of reducing straw and other brousvegetable substances to a pulpy condition, isv 1. The use ofastationaryboler, constructed substantially as' above described,in-combina tion with a boiling liquor, including grease, oil, or soap,constituted substantially as above described, and a high temperatureranging from that indicated by an internal pressure in the boiler ofsixty pounds to the square inch to that indicated by the like pressureof one hundred and fifty pounds to the square inch in the mannersubstantially and for the purpose above described. v

2. The combination of a stationary boiler with the use of theabove-described boiling liquor, and the use of any and all temperaturesranging from that 'indicated by an internal pressure in the boiler ofsixty pounds to the square inch upward, for the purposes above describedof reducing straw and other vegetable fibrous substances to a pulpy condition.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my sig nature this 16th day ofApril, 1861.

HARRISON B. MEECH. Witnesses:

L. G. BANoRoFT, JOEL TIFFANY.

